I never got around to installing my CB in our previous coach, but this one came with one installed. I do use it from time to time for checking on road conditions. I've only used it once to communicate with another RV'er though, and that was by pre-arrangement when we were both traveling to the same destination at the same time.

Oh Fed-Ex delivered my new Ham Rig today (A Icom ID-51 hand held companion to my 5100. This thing is wild.. Spent time doing some programming. some I was able to copy. some not. But it's all up and cooking now.

Home is where I park it.
Kenwood TS-2000 housed in a 2005 Damon Intruder 377

I've found the cell phone app Waze very much like CBs past traffic "handiness", at least on interstates. Although you need a cell signal, 99% of the times you will have road issues, you will be in an area where there is traffic and that usually means cell service, too.

Most newer standalone GPS units have built in traffic updates. Ours worked well last trip out, over 7,000 miles round trip, with many traffic warnings near the bigger cities, and it automatically checks alternate routes for faster bypass. No cell signal required. Just traffic status on the satellites.

MDKMDK wrote:Most newer standalone GPS units have built in traffic updates. Ours worked well last trip out, over 7,000 miles round trip, with many traffic warnings near the bigger cities, and it automatically checks alternate routes for faster bypass. No cell signal required. Just traffic status on the satellites.

The traffic information is actually broadcast in side bands of terrestrial FM radio broadcasts, at least in the GPS units I'm familiar with.

The GPS satellites certainly do not broadcast anything resembling traffic data; their signals basically amount to very tightly synchronized clocks, with some satellite orbit positioning information encoded as well, and the GPS receiver determines the relative distance (based on the relative differences in time due to longer or shorter signal propagation paths) to each of the satellites it can pick up a signal from and uses that to triangulate its position. They can also compare the relative speed rate of the clocks due to doppler shifts and so determine relative velocity to the satellites, and since the satellites are not in geostationary orbit the whole three dimensional "where am I and how fast am I going" computation gets rather complicated....

I hardly ever see CB antennas on cars or pickup trucks anymore. Used to be every other vehicle it seemed. Used to be very common to see the magnetic base antennas also.

Last time I used CB was a "convoy" of about 10 cars going up to Maine for whitewater rafting 25ish years ago. It was very convenient and entertaining (and kept us awake) for all of us to be in contact.